Te Kōhanga Reo o Taupō

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Taupō ki te tāone o Taupō. Nō nā tata tonu nei te whānau i whakahou ake ai, i whakapaipai ake ai anō hoki i ō rātou wāhi ako o-roto, o-waho hoki. Whai muri i te arotake o mua a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, kua tīni ētahi o ngā tūnga kaimahi matua i te kōhanga reo, ā, he tokoiti tonu ngā tamariki. Kua haere tonu ētahi take e pā ana ki te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo, ngā mahere rautaki, me te aromātai o roto, tae atu hoki ki te āta whakarite i te pakari o ngā whakaritenga ka hāpai i te hauora me te noho haumaru o ngā tamariki.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te kite i te mauritau o ngā tamariki ki te kōhanga reo?

Ahakoa he mauritau te āhua o ngā tamariki ki te kōhanga reo, he whāiti noa ngā kitenga e tohu ana i te kounga o ngā akoranga.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

He mātātoa te whai wāhi mai o ngā tamariki ki te kōhanga reo. I te wā o te arotake, i kitea ngā tamariki e eke paihikara ana, e tākaro ana ki te onepū, e pikipiki ana i te papa tākaro o waho, hei whakamātau i ō rātou pūkenga whakatautika me ō rātou pūkenga reretahi. Ka hāpai ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki ki te whai wāhi atu ki ngā karakia, ngā mihimihi, me ngā waiata. Ka pānui pukapuka rātou ki ngā tamariki, hei whakatairanga ake i ā rātou wheako ako. Ka ngākau nui ngā tamariki ki te tākaro ki ētahi atu.

Ka arohaina, ka manaakitia hoki ngā tamariki e ngā kaimahi. Ka whakamihi rātou i ngā tamariki, mō ā rātou whakamātau. Ka whakatauira ngā tuākana i te āhua o te whanonga pai, ā, ka manaaki hoki rātou i ō rātou tēina. Ka akiaki ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki ki te manaaki i ngā tāngata ka tae atu ki tō rātou kōhanga reo. Ka kitea te tino mauritau o ngā tamariki.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Ko te reo Māori tētahi āhuatanga e āwangawangatia ana. Ka rongo noa ngā tamariki i te reo Māori i ngā wā ōkawa o te hōtaka akoranga. Ko te nuinga o te reo e whakamahia ana e ngā kaimahi, he reo tohutohu. Kāhore ngā kaimahi e whakapuaki māhorahora ana i te reo Māori, puta noa i te rā, ā, kāhore hoki rātou e akiaki ana i ngā tamariki ki te kōrerorero ki waenga i a rātou anō mā te reo Māori. He whāiti te ako me te whakamahinga a ngā tamariki i te reo Māori.

Me aro nui hoki ki te tuakiri me te aronga toi whenuatanga o ngā tamariki. Ka whakatakotohia e ngā kaimahi ngā pepeha o ngā tamariki ki ā rātou pūkete, ā, ka tautoko anō hoki rātou i ngā tamariki ki te whakapuaki i ō rātou pepeha ki ētahi atu. Ahakoa ka whai wā, ka tautoko hoki ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki ki te whakapuaki i ō rātou pepeha, he iti noa ngā whai wāhitanga ki te whakawhānui ake i ā rātou akoranga, me te whakapūmau i te whakahirahiratanga o ō rātou whakapapa.

He whāiti ngā wheako akoranga o ngā tamariki. Kāhore ngā kaimahi e āta whakamahi ana i ngā taiao o roto, o waho rānei, hei hāpai i ngā tamariki ki te tūhura, te whakaaro auaha, me te whai i ō rātou ake ngākau nuitanga. He mea nui, kia whakaratohia e ngā kaimahi te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo taumahi e whakawero ana, e whakawhānui ana hoki i ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

He māmā ngā mahere, ā, he aronga tonu kei roto mō ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki. He rawaka te kiko e ārahi ana i ngā kaimahi, ā, e whakamōhio ana hoki i te whānau. Kua toro atu ngā kaimahi ki te tautoko o te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo, hei hāpai i te whakapaitanga ake o ngā mahere ā-kaupapa, ngā aromatawai, me te aromātai hōtaka. Ka tāutu tētahi mahere ā-wāhanga i ngā kaupapa o ia wiki, ā, e whakatakoto ana hoki i ngā taumahi, ngā whāinga ako, me ngā whāinga aromatawai.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kāhore i te rawaka te kounga o ngā whakaritenga, hei hāpai i ngā akoranga. Kāhore ngā kaimahi e aromātai ōkawa ana i te hōtaka akoranga, e aroturuki ana rānei i ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki. Ahakoa ka whakaemi ngā kaimahi i ngā tauira mahi a ngā tamariki mō ngā pūkete, kāhore rātou e tuhi kōrero ana mō ngā akoranga o roto, hei tohu i te ahu whakamua. Ko te tātari i ngā mahi a ngā tamariki, ko te kōrero hoki ki a rātou mō ngā tūmomo taumahi, ka hāpai i ngā kaimahi ki te tūhonohono i te aromatawai, te aromātai hoki, me ngā mahere hōtaka. He whāiti ngā mōhiohio e pā ana ki ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki.

Kāhore anō ngā mahi whakahaere a te whānau kia āta whakaritea hei whakarato i te kounga o te atawhai me te ako o ngā tamariki. He hou te kaiwhakahaere me te heamana ki ō rāua tūranga. E ai ki te kaiwhakahaere, e ako tonu ana ia i ngā tini āhuatanga o tana tūranga whakahaere tari o ia rā. Kāhore ētahi o ngā wāhanga matua o te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo e āta whakatutukihia ana e te whānau me ngā kaimahi. Me whiwhi te whānau me ngā kaimahi i te tautoko ki te:

• whakawhanake i tētahi mahere rautaki e whakaraupapa ana i te ahunga whakamua o te kōhanga reo, e tāutu ana hoki i ngā whāinga matua me ngā kaupapa matua, ā, e hāpai ana hoki i te aroturukitanga o te ahu whakamua ki te whakatutuki i aua whāinga
• ako i ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga mahi ki te whakahaere i te kōhanga reo, inarā, i ngā huarahi ki te hāpai i ngā whakahaeretanga o ia rā, me te whakahaere i ngā take kaimahi, tae atu hoki ki ngā mahi arowhai a ngā pirihimana, me ngā arohaehae
• whakarite i te whakatutukitanga o ngā mahi e tika ana ki te atawhai ā-whatumanawa, ā-tinana hoki i ngā tamariki, tae atu ki te tū auau o ngā akoako hōneatanga ohorere, te tuhi me te mātakitaki i ngā tamariki e moe ana, te whakakore atu i ngā āhuatanga mōrearea, me te whai wāhi atu ki ngā whakangungu mō te whakatutukitanga o ngā herenga ā-ture e pā ana ki Te Ture Oranga Tamariki
• whakatinana i te aromātai o roto ki te aroturuki me te whakapai ake i te kounga o ngā akoranga me te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo.

3 Te Whakatau a te Whānau ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te aromāi, i whakamātauhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā pūnaha o te kōhanga reo ki te whakahaere i ngā āhuatanga i raro iho nei e whai pānga nui ana ki te waiora o ngā tamariki:

• te haumaru whatumanawa (tāpiri atu ko te ārahi mauritau, ko te ārai tamariki)
• te haumaru ā-tinana (tāpiri atu ko te mātakitaki tamariki; ko ngā whakaritenga whakamoe; ko ngā aituā; ko te whāngai rongoā; ko ngā whakaritenga akuaku; ko ngā kaupapa here me ngā tikanga haerenga whakawaho)
• te tū tika o ngā kaimahi (tae atu ki ngā taumata tohu mātauranga; te arowhai a ngā pirihimana; ngā rēhitatanga kaiako; me te tatauranga ki waenga i te kaiako me te tamaiti)
• ngā whakaritenga, tikanga hōneatanga e pā ana ki te ahi me te rū whenua.

Ko te tikanga, ka whakatairanga ngā kōhanga reo katoa i te hauora me te haumaru o ngā tamariki, me te arotake anō hoki i ia te wā i tā rātou whakatutukitanga i ngā herenga ā-ture.

I tāutuhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā wāhanga e whai ake nei, kāhore e tutuki ana e ai ki te ture. Kia tutuki i te whānau o te kōhanga reo ngā herenga ā-ture, me tahuri rātou ki te:

• whakamahere, te whakatinana, me te aromātai i tētahi marautanga i waihangatia ai hei whakatairanga i te ako a ngā tamariki me tō rātou whakawhanaketanga, mā te whakarato i te kounga o ngā wheako akoranga
  [R 47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; C1-4 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• whakarite i te noho mōhio o ngā pākeke ki ngā akoako hōneatanga e tika ana, me te whakatutuki haere i aua akoako i ia te wā ki te taha o ngā tamariki, me te tuhi haere anō hoki i aua akoako
  [R 46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS8 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• whakapūmau i ngā mahi katoa e pā ana ki te arowhai i ngā āhuatanga mōrearea, tae atu ki ngā tikanga pūrongo, kia haumaru ai te noho o ngā tamariki
  [R 46Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS12 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• āta whakarite i te whakatakotoranga o ngā tuhinga mauhanga, me ngā mōhiohio o roto e tohu ana i ngā wā ka moe ai ngā tamariki, me te tiaki o ngā pākeke i aua wā
  [R46(1)(2) Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS9 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• āta whakarite i te whakatutukitanga o ā rātou kawenga hei kaituku mahi pai, tae atu ki te pakari o tētahi pūnaha arohaehae hei hāpai i te tupu ngaio tonu o ngā kaimahi
  [R 47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA5-7 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• āta whakarite kia arowhaingia e ngā pirihimana, ko ngā tāngata katoa e mahi ana ki te taha o ngā tamariki ki te kōhanga reo.
  [s319D Ture Mātauranga 1989; R 47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA5-7 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]

4 Ngā Taunakitanga

E taunaki ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga kia toro atu te whānau ki te tautoko o te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo ki te:

• whakawhanake i ō rātou pūkenga me ō rātou mōhiotanga ki te whakahaere i ngā whakaritenga i te kōhanga reo
• whakawhanake i tētahi mahere rautaki ka ārahi i te ahunga whakamua tonu o te kōhanga reo, ā, ka hāpai anō hoki i a rātou ki te aroturuki i tā rātou ahu whakamua
• tuku i tētahi mahere mahi ki Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, hei tāutu i ngā huarahi ka whāia e te whānau ki te whakatutuki i ngā take katoa e whakatakotohia ana ki tēnei pūrongo.

Hei ā hea Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga aromātai anō ai i te kōhanga reo?

Ka aromātai anō Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i Te Kōhanga Reo o Taupō i roto i te kotahi tau.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori

08 Hakihea, 2017

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo o Taupō is in Taupō. The whānau have recently renovated and redecorated their indoor and outdoor learning environments. Since the previous ERO review, there have been changes to key staffing positions in the kōhanga reo, and the roll number of children attending remains low. There have been ongoing issues related to kōhanga reo management practices, strategic planning and internal evaluation, as well as ensuring robust practices are in place to support children’s health and safety.

2 The Evaluation Findings

To what extent do children show they are settled in the kōhanga reo?

Although children appear settled in the kōhanga reo, evidence of quality learning is limited.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children are active during their time at kōhanga reo. During our review we observed children riding bikes, playing in the sandpit, and climbing on the outdoor playground to practice balancing and co-ordination skills. Kaimahi support children to participate in karakia, mihimihi and waiata. They share story books with children to enhance their learning experiences. Children appear to enjoy playing with others.

Kaimahi are loving and caring towards children. They praise children for their efforts. Tuākana model positive behaviours and care for their tēina. Kaimahi encourage children to welcome others into their kōhanga reo. Children show they settle well.

Key Next Steps

Te reo Māori is an area of concern. Children only hear te reo Māori during the formal learning programme. The language used by kaimahi is predominantly instructional. Kaimahi do not use te reo Māori spontaneously throughout the day and they do not encourage children to talk to each other in te reo Māori. Children learning and use of te reo Māori is limited.

Children’s identity and place of belonging needs attention. Kaimahi present children’s pepeha in their profile books and support children to share these with others. Although kaimahi provide time and support children to share their pepeha, there are limited opportunities to extend their learning and reinforce the importance of their whakapapa.

Children’s learning experiences are limited. Kaimahi do not effectively utilise the indoor or outdoor environments to promote children to explore, be creative thinkers and follow their interests. It is important that kaimahi provide a range of activities to challenge and extend children’s learning.

Planning and Evaluation

Planning is simple and provides some direction for children’s learning. Sufficient detail guides kaimahi and informs the whānau. Kaimahi have sought support from the TKRNT to help improve kaupapa planning, assessment and programme evaluation. A term plan identifies kaupapa for each week and includes activities, learning goals and assessment objectives.

Key Next Steps

The quality of practices to support learning is inadequate. Kaimahi do not formally evaluate the learning programme or monitor children’s learning. Although kaimahi gather samples of children’s work for their individual profiles, they do not make comment about the learning to show progress. Analysis of children’s work, talking with them about activities will help kaimahi make links between assessment, programme evaluation and programme planning. Information about children’s learning is limited.

Whānau management practices are not well established to provide quality care and learning for children. The kaiwhakahaere and chairperson are new to their roles. The kaiwhakahaere acknowledges that she is still learning many aspects of her daily administration role. There are key areas of kōhanga reo operations that are not well managed by the whānau and staff. Support is required for whānau and kaimahi to:

• develop a strategic plan that outlines the future direction of the kōhanga reo, identifies key goals and priorities, and assists with monitoring progress towards those goals
• learn about their roles and responsibilities in managing the kōhanga reo, in particular how to assist the day to day operations, and manage personnel matters including police vetting and appraisal
• ensure all reasonable steps are taken for the emotional and physical care of children including regular emergency drill practices, recording and monitoring sleeping children, removing potential hazards, and training about expectations to meet requirements for the Vulnerable Children’s Act
• implement internal evaluation to monitor and improve the quality of learning and kōhanga reo management.

3 Whānau Management Assurance on Compliance Areas

During the evaluation, ERO looked at the kōhanga reo systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All kōhanga reo are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

ERO identified areas of non-compliance. In order for the kōhanga reo whānau to meet compliance requirements they need to:

• plan, implement, and evaluate a curriculum that is designed to enhance children’s learning and development through the provision of quality learning experiences
  [R47 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; C1-4 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• ensure adults are familiar with the relevant emergency drills, regularly carry these out with the children, and record these drills accordingly
  [R46 Education(Early Childhood Services)Regulations 2008; HS 8 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• ensure all hazard checking, recording and reporting requirements are upheld for the safety of children
  [R46 Education(Early Childhood Services)Regulations 2008; HS 12 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• ensure accurate records with required information are kept of the time each child at the kōhanga reo sleeps, and checks made by adults during that time
  [R46(1)(2) Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; HS9 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• ensure their responsibilities as good employers are upheld, including a robust appraisal system to support employees continued professional growth
  [R47 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA5-7 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• ensure all those working with children at kōhanga reo are police vetted.
  [s319D Education Act 1989; R47 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA5-7 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

4 Recommendations

ERO recommends that the whānau seek support from TKRNT to:

• develop their skills and knowledge to manage the kōhanga reo operations
• develop a strategic plan to guide the future direction of the kōhanga reo and help them monitor their progress
• submit an action plan to ERO to identify how the whānau will address all concerns raised in this report.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO evaluation of Te Kōhanga Reo o Taupō will be within one year.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori

8 December 2017

Information about the Kōhanga Reo